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Madam President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.

I would like to acknowledge and thank our gracious hosts South Africa and assure the Parties present that New Zealand is, as always, committed to playing a constructive role in these negotiations.

Having accepted a responsibility target under the Kyoto Protocol CP1 we are on track to meet our commitments and no matter what the outcome here in Durban New Zealand's mitigation efforts will continue post-2012.

The intersection between trade and climate change is a large and open policy space. I want to concentrate today on a helicopter view of the two sets of formal negotiations, one in the WTO and the other in the UN setting of the UNFCCC.

I am, one could say, going back to school here: "compare and contrast the two multilateral economic negotiations in trade and climate change". However, before doing so, let me start with a few comments on some specific examples of work New Zealand is doing in this joined-up policy space with Latin American countries.

Hon David Carter, Mayor Julie Hardaker, distinguished guests

Thank you Mr President.

First, I am deeply grateful for the invitation to address the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges.